All Quiet On The Western Front Nationalism Quotes

“I am young, I am twenty years old; yet I know nothing of life but despair, death, fear, and fatuous superficiality cast over an abyss of sorrow. I see how peoples are set against one another, and in silence, unknowingly, foolishly, obediently, innocently slay one another” (263). This quote shows one thing that will be talking about which is the idea of heroism, which is defined as “great bravery.” Which was a life lesson many of these soldiers had to learn while in battle. The ideas of heroism and nationalism are the topics being on display in this essay. All Quiet on the Western Front disgraced these ideas Nationalism, “patriotic feeling, principles, or efforts.” All Quiet on the Western Front attacks the ideas of heroism and nationalism

Paul had realized that he and the rest of the soldiers fighting have a certain duty, they want to serve and protect their country. When it comes down to proving themselves and doing their specific duty, it turns into a struggling battle to stay alive. “While they taught that duty to ones country is the greatest thing , we already knew that death-throes is stronger” (45). This quote is implying that the even though the solders have been trained and influenced only one way, the fear of dying seems to conquer their minds and seems to take a hold over them while at the front lines of battle. “This dead man is bound up with my life, therefore I must do everything, promise everything in order to save myself” (151). This shows a close glimpse into the mindset of the soldiers and their thoughts during the war. At this point in the book , it proves itself to be true

And the French are over there to protect their fatherland now who's in the right?” (56). This shows what the definition of nationalism is “the patriotic feeling.” But in the novel, both sides of the war, the French and the Germans were unhappy fighting for their fatherland. In the Beginning of the novel All Quiet on the Western Front we read that Paul Baumer and his class mates who were 19 years of age, had volunteered to go into the army to fight the war. The boys’ school master Kantorek had pressured them into drafting into the war, Kantorek had constantly exalted the ideas of nationalism and having pride in their country, which glorified their thoughts on war. They had thoughts that not enlisting in war. would be the same as turning your back on your country. When Baumer and his friends get to boot camp, they quickly find out that is not what they expected In boot camp Baumer and his class mates were taught to be soldiers. They Find out that everything that was learned in school, has no meaning in the war, that it will not help them stay alive. Baumer and his friends see the stereotypes made by the people at home, they think that its simple and quick. Paul and his comrades all experienced the true horror of the war at the front lines of battle. Each one of the class-mates and German soldiers experienced death of other soldiers and the agony of the wounded, these were the